2-24
Lawrence Mayor Brian A. DePeña was honored to host and once again welcome Dr. Abha Agrawal, MD, FACP, FACHE, the new President and CEO of Lawrence General Hospital.
Mayor DePeña spoke on how to improve patient care in emergency cases, create better conditions so that the health center becomes a hospital of options and not a last resort for our residents.
The reduction in time for primary care for our patients is also a top priority of Mayor DePeña.
“We need to continue working to maintain good quality services with more equity in health insurance, as well as incorporating mental health awareness back into the community through the hospital. The diversity of languages was a vital point during this meeting.”
Dr. Abha Agrawal said she was pleased to have chosen the City of Lawrence as her next destination to lead and that she has good faith in all our Lawrencians to achieve an even higher level in the health care.
A little about Dr. Abha Agrawal’s life:
Dr. Agrawal, who began at Lawrence General on January 2, is a practicing internal medicine physician, accomplished health care executive, Fulbright Scholar, clinical informaticist, and author who comes to Lawrence General after serving as chief medical officer at Humboldt Park Health in Chicago.
She is also the founder of A4 Clinics in India, a globally recognized group of advanced neurorehabilitation centers with the primary mission of reducing the burden of preventable disability from neurological disorders in India through advanced technology. In addition to healthcare leadership roles, Dr. Agrawal’s career includes renowned academic appointments as well as numerous awards and honors.
As previously announced in November, Dr. Agrawal’s appointment culminated in a six-month search process by the Board of Trustees, assisted by one of the industry’s leading healthcare recruiting firms. Outgoing Board chair Mike Mancuso, who will continue his volunteer work for the hospital, says Dr. Agrawal has a proven reputation as a transformative leader with the excitement, skills, and experience needed to empower the Lawrence General team and meet the ever-changing needs of the people they serve.
“Above all, Dr. Agrawal has been a champion for advancing health equity and patient care throughout her career,” says Mancuso. “The Board is confident she is the leader we need to ensure Lawrence General Hospital will thrive in today’s challenging healthcare environment.”
The announcement also marks the appointment of Rosemarie Day as Chair of the Board for the Lawrence General Hospital Board of Trustees. Day is the founder & CEO of Day Health Strategies. She is a health reform pioneer who has worked through the value chain of the healthcare industry, from start-ups to major corporations to the government. The author of Marching Toward Coverage (Beacon Press, 2020), Day says her goals include improving access to health care in the U.S. and making health care more consumer-focused and patient-centered. She is confident the hospital has the strategy, people, passion and commitment to become even stronger as the region’s destination community-focused hospital and health system.
“I am excited to be stepping into the role of Lawrence General Hospital’s board chair,” says Day. “I, along with the rest of the board, look forward to working with Dr. Agrawal and her team to achieve our vision and strategy for the hospital. I am confident that Lawrence General will continue to lead the way in quality care, innovation and technology, and patient experience with a strong focus on health equity.”
Helping Day to lead the Board are Vice Chair Dan Rivera, Treasurer Laurel Sweeney and Secretary Carol Powers. Additionally, the Lawrence General Hospital Board of Trustees is welcoming three new members. Jose H. Cruz, senior vice president and commercial lending officer at Reading Cooperative Bank, Michael Sklar, former CEO and current chairman of the board at Black Diamond Networks in Andover, and Vilma Martínez-Dominguez, executive director and CEO of Greater Lawrence Community Action Council, join the other eight Board members who generously donate their time to support the mission of Lawrence General Hospital.
Lawrence General Hospital Trustee Shalimar Quiles, principal of Oliver Elementary School in Lawrence and a resident of Lawrence says, “I am thrilled for our community and for the incredibly deserving patients that will benefit from the contributions of our new President and board members.” ◊